IPL 2021: Irfan questions players' decision to pull out 'so close' to tournament

Former India pacer Irfan Pathan on Thursday questioned players' decision to pull out of the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) days before the start of the season.

"I'm all for mental fatigue,It's real but pulling out so close to the tournament? #IPL2021," Pathan tweeted.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) pacer Josh Hazlewood on Thursday pulled out of the IPL. Hazlewood was set to depart for India with Australia's IPL-bound players, but the pacer has decided to give this year's IPL a miss in order to spend some time with his family.

"It's been a long 10 months in bubbles and quarantine at different times, so I decided to have a rest from cricket and spend some time at home and in Australia in the next two months. We've got a big winter ahead too. The West Indies is going to be a long tour, with Bangladesh T20 tour potentially thrown on the end of that," cricket.com.au quoted Hazlewood as saying.

"Then potentially the T20 World Cup leading into the Ashes, so it's a big 12 months, as it always is with Australia, and I want to give myself the best chance to be mentally and physically ready for that. That's the decision I've made, and it sits pretty well with me," he added.

Moreover, on Wednesday, Australia's Mitchell Marsh made himself unavailable for the entire season owing to personal reasons. Consequently, SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) signed up England batsman Jason Roy as his replacement.

SRH had taken to Twitter to announce the development. The franchise wrote: "Due to personal reasons, Mitchell Marsh will be opting out of #IPL2021. We would like to welcome @JasonRoy20 to the #SRHFamily."

IPL is set to begin on April 9 with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Mumbai Indians locking horns in the tournament opener. The final of the 14th edition of the tournament will be played on May 30 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Playoffs will also be played at the same venue.